


Artistic Differences

by morphia



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-02
Updated: 2014-09-02
Packaged: 2018-02-15 20:07:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2241792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morphia/pseuds/morphia





	Artistic Differences

~ Art ~

The silence in the workshop is deafening. Steve's sitting amongst his artstuff, Not Sulking, with his arms crossed over his chest and a sullen expression on his face. This hasn't gone in the direction he'd hoped it would, when Tony had initially requested art-lessons. 

Steve had envisioned a slow progress, where at first they would work on sketching, and then move on to more advanced works. He envisioned long arguments about what the subject of each work should be, not about the method used to create the artworks. What had happened, though… 

What had happened was that Tony hadn't even considered the possibility of exercising classical art. In fact, he seemed to hold it in such contempt, that when Steve came down to the workshop at the set time with all the equipment he had prepared for the occasion, Tony had spent a whole minute laughing. Steve had been confused as to what Tony had expected, since he had been under the impression Tony wanted to learn how to draw. The matter hadn't cleared up in the least when Tony presented him with a dark, grey-blue tablet and a pen, and said he was going to have Steve teach him how to draw with it. 

It's not that Steve couldn't learn new things, it wasn't even that he had a particular peeve about digital art. He had been the first to admire it. It's just that it really wasn't his thing. Some people could do fantastic art using digital means, but Steve had no interest in even trying. He had felt awkward that one time, and even though the outcome had been decent, he didn't get the feeling he had actually worked on it like he should. Years of practice at youth had instilled in him a ritualistic attitude towards the act of drawing. 

Not looking at Tony was not the thing to stop Steve from seeing, from the corner of his eye, how diligently the man was trying. A set to his eyebrows, the tension in his shoulders, the lax hang of his mouth, just slightly open in its owners idleness. Tony had meant business when he had asked Steve to help him, but it seemed he wouldn't let Steve's refusal deter him from his intentions to learn how to do it. 

Three hours Steve had managed to hold out before he caved. Tony didn't even seem to notice as he slipped out of the room, and got back soon after with two cups of coffee. The peace offering was set next to Tony and he leaned against the table on the other side.

"Y'know, I'm the last person to give you tips about drawing on a tablet." Steve said, unprompted. Tony took the coffee and drank like he was holding no grudges, but Steve doubted it for the moment. "I only draw 'old school'." And he made a valiant effort to not air-quote like Hawkeye seemed to love doing. Tony snorted into his coffee.

"Where did you learn that phrase?" Tony asked, his tone neutral. Steve glanced at the screen to stall for time. The drawing was… well, considering how long it had taken Tony to get it done, it was decent, but Steve could see the heavy influence of an inventor's hand in the process. Tony could draw a decent piece, but he lacked a certain.. lenience, freedom, that artists were more comfortable having. Measurements didn't have to be precise, proportion could be skewed a little for the purpose of attaining a desired effect. 

"Probably Hawkeye," Steve said, and reached for the tablet. "You're spending too much time on planning." He opened a new sheet and made a quick sketch. The workshop from his current point of view. It was by no means an exact replica, proportions-wise. He took the water color tool and splashed the piece quickly, messily. Oranges, purples, browns, colors that did not exist in the workshop at all, but when he was done, Tony was gaping at the screen.

"Witchcraft." Tony intoned. Steve handed back the tablet. 

"Practice." Steve answered with a shrug. "It's easier to work this stuff digitally, but it just doesn't feel like I've actually… done anything." He shook his head, "I know it's silly, art is art, no matter how it's made, but it's just…" He sighed, there was no way to express how he felt about the matter. Tony touched his forearm and smiled up at him from his chair. 

"I understand." Tony said, and that was all Steve needed to hear. "I don't mind if you're not the best teacher. I didn't ask for your help-" he paused, his smile turning into a smirk for a moment, "only because you're the best at this stuff of all the people I know." He squeezed slightly, and Steve tilted his head. "What? Don't make me say it." 

"Alright." Steve said, settling in the chair Tony had set next to his own in preparation for the study-session. He didn't need Tony to explicitly say he had really only been trying to find more reasons to hang out with Steve. 

~ fin ~


End file.
